


Mysteries of the Heart

by Ree923



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Humor, Murder Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27057103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ree923/pseuds/Ree923
Summary: When a publishing giant (who happens to be Fae) is murdered, his nephew Jareth comes to investigate. And when he decides that freshly minted private investigator Sarah Williams (who happens to be his soul mate) is the perfect person to help him, well, things get complicated pretty quickly
Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 20
Kudos: 19





	1. Murder most foul

Nova Scotia, November 8th, 1991

The knife was protruding from her grandfather’s body in an odd angle. Gina Joens didn’t scream, she didn’t move. She could only stare as the blood ran down Stephen’s face, to seep into the starched white collar of his pressed Oxford shirt. He seemed to look at her, a warning on his face that she wasn’t safe. 

Gina knew that there was no way for a human to have done this, they didn’t have the cunning to get through Fae obstacles, and they’d been so careful. No, the only one who could have come through the wards was someone from their world. No one was allowed to enter or leave the Fae kingdom without her uncle Jareth knowing about it, so was he involved?

She shook the thought from her mind almost immediately. Jareth loved his family, he would never consider harming them. The human, “Uncle” Myron that her aunt Chloe had married ten years ago was a different story, but no one knew where he was. He could stay missing as far as she was concerned. 

A sudden hand on her shoulder caused her to scream. Gina’s eyes adjusted to the dim light from the hallway and she could now see it was her mother, Ariella. She tried to get her mother to walk from the room, but it was too late, everything was too late. Ariella ran to her father, kneeling on the floor next to his huge oak desk and feeling for a pulse. She knew that he wasn’t as strong in this world, he could be killed easily here. It appeared that he had. There was something on the ground that glittered, and without thought, she picked it up and put it in her pocket. Ariella leaned back, tears falling without any attempt at halting them, fury in her gaze. 

“Gina, call the police - then - then call Jareth.”

Gina nodded and spun from the room, to call the police, then the Goblin King.

Later, as the police took statements from everyone in the house, Ariella pulled Gina to the side, showing her the shiny object. 

“Mom, that looks like a crest, but I don’t’ recognize it.” Gina ran a finger over the amulet and frowned. It looked familiar, like she’d seen it before, but it wasn’t coming to her. Her mother put it back in her pocket and shook her head.

“Don’t tell the police anything about this, I’m giving it to Jareth. This is a matter for our family.”

“Then why are the police here?” Gina whispered. 

“We are in their world, something like this can’t be covered up when your grandfather is - was - so public a person,” Ariella was fighting back tears, and it made Gina want to cry all over again too. She squeezed her mother’s hand, the love of that simple gesture, telling her mother all that she couldn’t say aloud. Her name was called, and with one last look at her mother, Gina went to speak to the police.

Later that evening, Ariella stood outside her father’s study, staring at the police tape shutting her out of the room she’s spent years of her life talking with her father, sharing her hopes for the future when her husband had died leaving her with a small child to raise. Stephen had stepped in and given them a home, a safe place where Gina could walk the fine line between being human like her father, or Fae like Ariella. 

“Cousin, I came as soon as I could,” Jareth’s refined voice came out of the darkness, a shadow on the wall moving to reassemble into the Goblin King. He wasn’t wearing his armor now, instead he had on a white poet’s shirt, open at the neck, and tight black riding pants that she knew drove the servants a bit mad. His ever present riding crop (all for show, the git never was on a horse in his life) was in his hand as he spread his arms wide to hug her warmly. 

“Cousin, I thank you for your swift arrival. I fear this is all my doing.” She bit her lip and held back tears from her wide set, deep blue eyes. He frowned.

“You will tell me everything,” he demanded. She turned to a nearby table and unlocked it’s drawer, handing him what appeared to be letters addressed to Gina.

“It all started last year, when Gina began getting these. I have hidden them, but my father knew and said he’d take care of things. Now he’s dead because I thought we could handle threats on our own. Jareth, my father is dead, and it is my fault.”

Jareth read through the first few letters and nodded. “You should have sent for me when these first arrived, Ariella.” At her teary nod, his face softened a fraction. “You did not kill your father. Humans are nasty creatures when they want something they have no right to obtain. But he could not be working alone. Is there anything else to show me?”

She pulled out the amulet and handed it to her cousin. He stared at it for long moments, remembering a girl who’d once worn it, and how she’d died so long ago that few remembered she’d ever lived. Whoever had dropped this necklace had killed his Lena, his wife. He didn’t know how this had happened, but he did know someone who could help find out. He only hoped that Sarah would understand why he was going to be in her life again. 

“This was Lena’s amulet.”

“I know.”

“Then your father’s killer is working with my wife’s. Someone is targeting our family again, and this time we’re going to catch him.”

***************************************

Chicago, that same night

The young brunette woman ran quickly through the empty streets of Chicago, glancing around as if she could summon up a companion. She’d stayed too late at her father’s law office, she knew that, and had turned down a few rides from other late working colleagues. Now she wished she’d remembered that her father had driven her in that morning. 

Storm clouds that had seemed so far away as she was working on a project for her dad, now were above the city and sending cold, unrelenting rain. Pulling her trench coat around her slim frame, she started talking to herself to keep from thinking she was being followed.

While her father had wanted her to become an attorney, like himself, she had decided that with her love of theater and costumes, she was more in line to be someone who could be anyone. In short, a private detective. She’d gotten her license a month previously after getting her degree in history. As her step mother was always saying, if the private eye thing didn’t work out, she could at least become a history teacher somewhere.

She thought about the Underground, and her friends. They were probably all smart enough to not walk in the rain. Well, the jury was out on Sir Didymus, she smiled at the thought of the tiny knight brandishing his sword at the storm clouds above him. A cold gust of wind almost knocked her over and she swore under her breath.

“Why didn’t you take a cab, Sarah?” she asked herself for the hundredth time since she’d left Williams and Cartwright. “Why did you think walking to the hotel at one in the morning was a good idea?” She hadn’t wanted to wake her father up to drive back and forth to the hotel they were staying at, really, the distance was only a matter of a few hundred feet. 

Cutting across an abandoned lot, the woman thought she heard something behind her and did her best not to spin around. Things were not always as they seemed, she thought with a wry amusement, sometimes the monsters you thought were chasing you were simply your own insecurities. She thought about Jareth, and how she’d defeated him years ago. She sighed, there were nights she wished he’d defeated her. Maybe he’d still be in her life.

As she finally reached the doors of the old hotel, she didn’t see the man following her stop to note which building she was entering. He calmly sheathed the blade he’d been clutching, and made his way back to his own dwelling. He knew where she was staying now, there would be time to finish the job.

*******************************************************************

Sarah made her way past her father’s suite to get to her own, and was mildly surprised to see a light on under the door. Shrugging, she knocked lightly on the door, and smiled as her dad answered, a look of worry on his face.

“Sarah, why didn’t you call a cab, or call me? I was just going to go out to find you.” He ran a hand through unruly brown hair and hid a grin when Sarah hugged him tightly, getting his clothes wet. Giggling, his daughter gave him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back. 

“Sorry Dad, work ran a bit late and I didn’t think it would start storming the minute I left the office. I’m going to go take a shower and go to bed. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Robert Williams nodded and gave her a kiss on her head before shooing her out of his room and towards her suite. There would be time enough to talk about his next case in the morning. 

**************************************

The man walked into his shabby apartment, throwing his knife into a wall as he entered his bedroom. She’d been so close, so incredibly close. He could hear her blood race through her veins and longed to spill it across the dark streets, watching her gasp as the last bit of breath escaped those perfect lips. 

He picked up the phone, dialing a number only three other people knew. He gave his password, his message, and his answer to the question asked. Yes, he would continue to monitor the little detective, and if she got too close, he would do as he was asked. After hanging up, he smiled. He’d play it their way for now, but should Sarah Williams stumble upon him in her quest for answers, it would obviously be self defense if his knife should slip.


	2. Introductions

Jareth was not an unkind king, he forgave the many minor transgressions of his goblins and the barely restrained disrespect from his head gardener Hobbert. He even forgave Sarah for leaving him when he had begged her not once, but twice, to be his queen. He wondered why it had been so difficult for Stephen and Ariella to trust him to help with these letters Gina had received. 

Pacing in his room at the manor house, he still held the small amulet he’d given Sherlena on their wedding day. He grinned slightly, she’d hated that name and demanded that everyone call her Lena. They’d been married two hundred years, long enough to grow fond of one another, even if they did not truly love. It was rare for Fae to feel love, in fact, it was rumored to only happen once in a Fae’s lifetime. Marriage was for political gain, and joining families - Jareth had been lucky that Lena was a true friend to him before they married. 

He’d made certain that the real murder weapon, an old iron blade, was safely in his room to be analyzed by magic. An exact replica with a bit of Stephen’s blood was in the possession of the police department. Thankfully, when a Fae was in the Aboveground, their blood showed as human, their magic muted. It was a balance that usually protected them from human persecution, but in this case, had led to Stephen’s demise.

Jareth’s thoughts were interrupted as he heard a buzzing noise. Glancing around, he saw the slim brick that humans used to communicate. He’d created one to keep in touch with his kingdom, and glared at it because the only one who would dare call him would be that blasted dwarf. 

Answering it, he spoke, “Hoghead,” he said calmly, then held the phone from his ear as he knew what was coming.

“It’s Hoggle!”

“Yes, yes, why are you annoying me? Have you found the human scum?”

“If you’re talking about yer cousin in law Myron,” he was cut off.

“That - person, is no relation to anyone in the royal family. Have you found him or not?”

The grumpy dwarf made a noise that sounded like gas passing from his ears and shook his large head. “No, and no one knows anything. He’s still missin’ and he’s better off that ways.”

“Hoghead, listen quite carefully. There is a young girl,” he was interrupted. 

“Ain’t there always,” Hoggle muttered. Jareth coughed loudly and the line grew silent. 

“As I was saying, there is a young girl receiving threatening letters and her grandfather has just been murdered. Whoever it was had Queen Lena’s amulet and left it with the body.”

There was a sharp breath taken on the other end. Even Hoggle would not say a harsh word on his former queen. She had been like a warm summer’s embrace to even dirty dwarves like Hoggle. He remembered her, and there was a sniffle across the line.

“He’s back then.” The dwarf’s voice held a tinge of malice, and the Goblin King approved.

“It appears he may be. The human police are going to be underfoot trying to solve this, but they have no idea who they are dealing with. I will be conducting my own investigation. I will need a human partner to assist me. I have found her and will be bringing her here shortly. I need you and the others to track down Myron Hutchins and determine if he has been anywhere near this house.”

“Found her? Found who her? I means - who’s her? She? Jareth?” Hoggle’s questions were cut short when Jareth looked up to see Gina at his door, holding one of the letters. He hung up and stood there, waiting for her to speak.

“Mother didn’t get to hide this one,” she said, handing him the letter. “You think this is the same person who killed Cousin Lena?”

“I - am not sure. How long have you known about the letters?”

“Long enough to contact a friend of mine from college. She’s a private investigator now, she’s been trying to track down who wrote these.”

Jareth was stunned. “You gave these to a human? Have you lost your mind?” He could not believe his niece could be so foolhardy. Did the police have a copy? Did they know about the amulet? He glared at her and demanded she speak.

“Oh it’s not just any human, it’s Sarah Williams. You do remember her, correct? As fate, or well, myself, would have it, she and I went to the same college for our undergraduate degree. She’s become a friend. And she’s more trustworthy than half of the Fae I could name.”

“Myself included?” Jareth’s tone grew dark, but not out of any malice towards Gina. No, this was unexpected news. Did Sarah know of his relation to Gina? This could turn ugly quite quickly if that was the case.

“I do trust you, and Sarah knows I’m Fae. She can tell us a mile away. She never has said one bad thing about you. She rarely speaks of you at all,” Gina allowed a small bit of humor into her voice, she knew Jareth still loved Sarah, and she suspected the human Champion felt the same way for her cousin. But they would need to figure that out on their own.

The king sat in an overstuffed chair that appeared as he lowered himself into it. This could be disastrous if handled the wrong way. 

A servant discretely appeared at the door and told Gina there was a call for her. His cousin excused himself and when she was gone, Jareth picked up his magical phone and turned it on, able to hear the conversation. He wasn’t sure why he did it, but when he heard Sarah’s voice, he bit back a sigh of longing. Her voice was just as he remembered it, and he relished the sound.

“I was followed.” She was what? He would kill her stalker with his bare hands. He gripped the phone and continued to eavesdrop.

“Sarah? Are you all right?”

“Yes, but someone knows I’m researching something. It might not be for your case.”

“Are you working any other cases?”

“......” 

“That is what I thought, you have to come to the manor house. Grandfather,” Jareth noticed his niece pause and had to stop from comforting her, “he’s dead. Murdered. Please Sarah. You have to help figure out what happened. The human police are here, but you know that is mostly for show.”

“Of course. I’ll be there tomorrow morning. The flight from Chicago is only around three hours, but I need to let my dad know I’m leaving, and book a flight.”

“Thank you, my cousin is here now. He’s technically the head of the house now, but I’ll let him know that you are coming to help out and that you know what we are. Thank you so much.”

“Does he know about the letters?”

“Yes, and, I’m sure he’ll be grateful if you could help with that too.”

The two girls hung up, and Jareth did with his phone as well. Sarah - here. And he wouldn’t even have to trick her. This was - unexpected. But in truth, he would welcome her assistance. In truth, he would welcome her in any way she’d have him. He had been fond of Lena, and still missed her, but the ache in his soul for Sarah was maddening. 

He hid the iron blade in his closet, and told Gina to make sure the guards knew Sarah was coming and that she was a friend to them. No good would come of Underground guards attacking a nosy human who knew what they were. He looked over at the bed, yes, it was certainly big enough for two. Smirking to himself, he opened the double door leading to a small balcony off of his room.

Transforming into an owl, he quickly flew to the morgue. He would need to make certain the Fae coroner had performed the autopsy and filed the papers with the Underground. The humans would have a slightly altered copy, and Stephen would be cremated once they were assured there was nothing left to gain from keeping the body. Jareth shivered slightly as he flew, knowing that even if Sarah thought she could be of use, she was still human. He would need to protect her in the only way he knew how. By being the annoying, dictating king she had come to despise, even if all he wanted to do was shelter her in his arms for the rest of their eternity.

*******************

Sarah got off the plane and put on her sunglasses against the bright Canadian sunshine. She’d never been to Nova Scotia, and if this had been a visit for pleasure, she’d enjoy sightseeing. All she could think about was Gina, and her grandfather. She’d only met the man once, and was secretly amused to know that the prolific mystery writer millions idolized was actually a grumpy old Fae with secrets of his own. 

Still, she collected a few sightseeing brochures and a travel guide from an airport shop. If she was going to investigate further, she’d need to know her way around. Maybe Gina’s cousin would offer to be a tour guide. She realized she’d never asked his name. Smirking to herself, she figured he was some ancient Fae with a similar personality to Gina’s grandfather. 

After she retrieved her baggage, she went down to the taxi area. A short, thin man was holding up a sign with her name on it, and she silently thanked Gina for sending a car. She was still a bit tired and not really sure how to get to the manor house. Sarah walked up to him and smiled brightly.

“I’m Sarah, and you are?”

“Merkins, I am, and I welcome you to the area, I do.” He swiftly took her suitcase and put it into the trunk before opening the rear door for her to get into the town car. She sat with her carry on next to her, and sank into the leather seat. Merkins chattered away, telling her of the history of the town she was in, and the people who’d built it up from nothing. 

“You’ll be sure to get Miss Gina out of that drafty house and out to have a bit of time away from the sorrow, if you don’t mind me saying so. Poor girl’s been through a shock, she has, and she needs a bit of care, she does.” 

Sarah wondered at the odd way the man was speaking, then shrugged. People had their own idiosyncrasies, and who was she to judge? 

“I’m not really sure she’s going to want to get out of the house, she was really close to her grandfather.”

“Of course she was, and he felt the same for her, he did.” She looked at the back of his head, and frowned, his ears seemed a bit pointed. He wasn’t Fae, she could sense them without thinking, but he seemed different. She didn’t want to ask, since she didn’t know how much Gina had told people about her abilities. His eyes met hers and he smiled. She suddenly felt calmer, like she’d been hugged. Her smile was a bit confused and he laughed.

“Ack, Miss Gina told me you had the Sight, she did. Can ye tell what I am?”

“Um no, you aren’t Fae, but you are - something.”

He cackled, “Oh I’m something, I am. I’m one of the elverfolk, I am. And Miss Gina said you were a smart one, you were.” 

Sarah looked at him again. “So you’re an elf? Like with Santa?”

The driver sent a mock glare to her through the rear view mirror. “Bah, Santa! Real elves wouldn’t be caught dead wearing peppermint colored fur and eating cookies like lapsis - um babies.”

“I see. Merkins, what do you know about Gina’s uncle - the one who is helping with things?”

Merkins grew quiet, but the slight grin remained. “What do you mean? He’s the head of the house now, he is. A bit of a charmer, too. Are you looking to mate with him? I hear he’s single, he is.”

Sarah looked shocked. “No! I just - Gina said he would be working with me on finding out what happened to her grandfather.” She had a brief flash of Jareth go through her mind and pushed it right out. Just because she still thought of him now and then didn’t mean she wanted to. But she was thinking of him, wondering what he was doing. Wondering if he ever thought about her. She sighed, not noticing the elf watching her reactions closely. Aye, the girl still loved the king. This would be fun to watch, it would. 

Merkins stifled a laugh and pulled up to a grand house with stone goblins on either side of the staircase leading up to a huge double door. He pulled out her luggage and led her up to the front door, ringing the bell like he was in a hurry to leave. Before the door opened, he turned to Sarah, all hints of mischief gone.

“Miss Sarah, you know the Fae, you do, and more importantly, they know you. Have a care, and don’t be above asking for aid when you need it this time from those you would not trust before.”

Sarah was going to ask what he was talking about, when the door opened and Ariella smiled, seeing who it was. 

“Sarah, come in - did you bring up that luggage by yourself?” 

“No, Merkins carried it-” she looked and didn’t see the elf anywhere. Turning around, the car was gone as well. Shrugging she turned back to see her friend’s mother smile as she pulled Sarah into a hug.

“Elves don’t stick around once their job is done. Come in dear, we’ve been expecting you.”

Across the street, a figure stood, staring at the large manor house and the doorway the young woman had just walked through. Soon, she’d be carried out the same way, on a stretcher with her throat slit. And then, then the king of the Goblins would be destroyed.


End file.
